SPORTS

Team Fiji ‘Ingnite Spirit Within’

Our athletes and officials set theme as they target to claim region’s top spot in Port Vila Ignite the Spirit Within’ is the theme which Team Fiji will bank on
26 Nov 2017 11:00
Team Fiji ‘Ingnite Spirit Within’
Team Fiji athletes go through with their officials the details concerning their participation at the Pacific Mini Games during their assembly at Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva on November 25, 2017. Photo : Vilimoni Vaganalau

Our athletes and officials set theme as they target to claim region’s top spot in Port Vila

Ignite the Spirit Within’ is the theme which Team Fiji will bank on to produce positive results at the Pacific Mini Games in Vanuatu next week.

Team chef de mission Wayne O’Connor said it would be a tough task to reclaim their number one position in the region.

“There will be a lot of challenges out there and our athletes know what’s expected of them,” he said.

“The 11 sporting federations have done a lot of hard work and dedication and it’s time to produce results on the field.”

The 200 athletes and officials gathered at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva for the team assembly yesterday.

“Our aim is to strengthen team bonding and get athletes and officials to know each other better.”

The participating sports at the games are archery, athletics/ para-athletics, basketball 3×3, beach volleyball, boxing, golf, judo, rugby 7s, table tennis/ para-table tennis and weightlifting.

The first contingent of Team Fiji departs Nadi on Friday and the second group on December 9. The Game starts on December 3.

 

EVENTS TO TEST VENUE

Indoor stadium at the Korman Complex in Port Vila, Vanuatu. Photo : RNZ

Indoor stadium at the Korman Complex in Port Vila, Vanuatu.
Photo : RNZ

Test events was held in Port Vila yesterday as part of the final preparations for the Pacific Mini Games.

According to Radio New Zealand netball, tennis, table tennis, beach volleyball, archery, boxing and karate are all on the schedule at the Korman Stadium.

Other activities on offer during the day include a mini kid’s fun zone, giveaways and prizes, food stalls and a chance to meet the Games’ mascots, while a music festival will take place in the evening.

There will also be a launch of 16 Days of Activism, supporting the national programme in the stand against violence to women, empowering women and advocating gender balance.

More than 2000 athletes from 23 nations are registered to compete in 14 sports at the Mini Games, which officially starts on Monday December 4

 

TAHITI BACK

Running track at the Korman Complex in Port Vila, Vanuatu. Photo : RNZ

Running track at the Korman Complex in Port Vila, Vanuatu. Photo : RNZ

Tahiti are set to field a heavily-reduced team at the Pacific Mini Games after their Government confirmed its intention to boycott the event in Vanuatu.

The country’s Government had earlier announced that they planned not to send a team to the Games following a row with the Pacific Games Council (PGC).

It came due to a dispute over the participation of the country’s boxers at the event, scheduled to take place from December 4 to 15.

Following a decision from a local court to annul the results of the Tahiti Nui Pacific Games Association’s elections last year, the PGC confirmed they would accept entries from sporting federations in the country who are recognised by their respective International Federations.

A disagreement over who should represent the country’s boxers at the event, following claims that they were being endorsed by a rival federation in the nation, prompted a critical response from the PGC, who accused Tahiti’s Government of political interference by choosing not to send any athletes.

Tahiti is, however, expected to send a boxing team and a rugby union team but PGC executive director Andrew Minogue admitted they are not expecting many other athletes from the nation to be present in Port Vila.

Edited by Osea Bola

Feedback:  anasilinir@fijisun.com.fj

 

 



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